


Little Noam

by ivarara



Series: other hk writing [2]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Leafwing (OC) - Freeform, Lorelyn (OC) - Freeform, Noam (OC)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:20:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21528958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivarara/pseuds/ivarara
Summary: Avant finds the newest sibling to wake in the Abyss. As such, they are there to help.
Series: other hk writing [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558498
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Little Noam

**Author's Note:**

> ii would die and kill for noam

The Abyss is a forlorn place. Empty of life, as ironic as it comes to be. Empty of light, of time, of days and nights and the passings of time. Avant isn’t sure if time even exists down here anymore. 

Avant twiddles a shard of bone between their fingers. It’s all they can do to keep their hands busy so they don’t dig into their arms or sides in fury and pain. They’ve learned it the hard way.

_Rattle, rattle._

The only thing that keeps Avant going is the promise that there will be more siblings that awaken, tattered and scared but alive. Avant will be there to comfort them and help them out. Avant will be the one to help when they need. After all, Avant knows what it’s like to wake up alone and fearful at the bottom of a pit.

Speaking of siblings, it sounds as if one’s awakening now. 

They flick the shard away, rising to their feet on long, lanky legs. The time spent down here allowed for growth, so much that they tower over almost anything they come across. 

They hear masks shifting, the little _whoosh_ of air as a shade sidles into one. 

_Good. They are doing well, so far._

Avant carefully picks their steps along the path of broken and cracked masks. At first, they were reluctant to even step on them. Now, they can’t avoid it, simply and plainly. 

They pick their way over to the sounds. A little vessel huddles in a ball, arms curled over their eyes, body trembling. Oh, this one did not have an easy awakening. Avant sighs. They wished they could soothe the fear out of their body, prove to them that there are better things out there than this hell. 

Avant slows, carefully approaching. 

“No,” the little vessel shivers, curling into themself tighter.

“Easy,” Avant croaks before clearing their throat. “Help. Here to help. Sibling.”

“ _No_ ,” they squeak again.

Avant halts. Do they lay a gentle hand on their shoulder to prove they mean no harm? Do they continue speaking to them? What do they do?

Avant settles on sitting a short distance away and letting the small vessel come out of their shell on their own terms, proving that they’re not going to press into anything if unwanted, but willing to stay near to guard.

Torturously, Avant waits. They _ache_ to reach out and comfort the little sibling of theirs, but they know better. Some of them need their space when they awaken. They need time to process what’s happened. They need to think on their own before trying to understand that there are others down here.

The frail vessel looks up at them, eventually. Their eyes are still fearful, their hands still cover their face. Their tattered cloak covers their body like a blanket. Small tears drip from their eyes as they gaze at their older, taller sibling. 

“Here to help,” Avant reminds them warmly. They carefully and slowly extend a hand.

The vessel recoils at first, but does reach out to touch Avant’s palm. Their little hand is cold, as expected. Avant wraps their fingers around the wrist, and rubs with their thumb comfortingly. 

“I am Avant,” they start to explain, hoping words will make the vessel ease. “I was the first one to be thrown here. Alone for a long time.” They look down. “Want to help other siblings.”

After a pause, the vessel squeaks something out.

“Hm?” Avant questions.

“Noam,” the smaller one croaks. “Name, Noam.”

“Noam,” Avant hums warmly. “Pretty name.”

Noam struggles to sit up. “Noam scared,” they tremble.

Avant scoots closer, rattling masks and startling Noam. “Easy,” they soothe. “Are you hurt?”

Noam shudders. “Head...hurt.” They look up fearfully to Avant. “Black...everywhere. Scared.”

Avant tilts their head curiously. “Yes, dark down here. Not to worry, though. I know the way,” Avant makes a show of preening.

Noam eeks out a tiny giggle, the best thing Avant had heard in ages. 

“Colors, then?” Avant presses, standing up. “You like them?”

Noam nods. “Noam see them.” They struggle to their feet before Avant offers to pick them up. “You...wait?”

“I’ve been here a long time, yes. Waiting for siblings.” Avant says. “Waiting to help them.”

Noam stares at them intently. “You nice.”

“I try,” Avant shrugs, earning another frail giggle.

“You...not scary.” Noam ponders. 

“No,” Avant assures. “Not here to harm.”

“Blue, gray,” Noam mutters to themself. “See yellow, green.” They trace the outline of Avant’s hand delicately. “Black.” Noam nods matter-of-factly. “Avant’s colors.”

“I have colors?” 

_Nod._

“Good colors?”

_Nod, nod._

Avant hums happily, Noam scooting closer to be picked up. Avant lifts them carefully, allowing them to perch on a high shoulder. “We’ll get you out,” Avant promises to Noam. “I will keep you safe the entire way. Give you a new life you’ll love.”

⁂

Back at Avant’s meager place of stay, Noam looks around curiously. Dried flowers, shards of bone, books...all kinds of interesting things could be found here. 

“I can take you to the upper part of the kingdom, if you’d like,” Avant offers. “I’m sure you’ll have a better life out there.”

Noam thinks it over. They liked it here with Avant, but the blackness of the Abyss is suffocating. 

“Defend?”

“‘Defend’?” Avant repeats.

“How Noam defend?”

“How will you defend yourself?”

_Nodnod._

“With a nail, I’d suppose. Do you have one?”

Noam shakes their head fearfully. 

“Do you want one?”

Noam shakes their head again.

“Quite alright,” Avant assures them. “Many don’t like the idea of harming others in defense.”

“Noam too weak,” the smaller vessel whispers.

“Nothing wrong with that,” Avant says. “Like I said, we can figure something out for you.” Their eyes narrow in a bright, wide smile. 

Noam smiles back tentatively. 

⁂

Avant makes do on their promise to escort Noam out of the Abyss. They carry the tiny vessel on their back, clambering their way to the cliff that marks the entrance. 

“Do you know where you would like to go?”

Noam shakes their head.

“What would you like to see, then?”

“Colors!” Noam chirps.

Avant makes a show of thinking deeply, rubbing their chin. “I think I know of a place. It’ll take a Stag ride, but we can get there safely.”

In the Ancient Basin, Avant carries Noam to the Hidden Station. 

“Would you do the honors?” Avant asks, nodding towards the bell.

Noam claps their hands and reaches out. Avant stoops over so they can reach the old bell with their little hands, and they ring it happily.

The thunderous approach of the Stag startles Noam into hiding behind Avant’s large mask.

“No worries, little Noam,” they comfort. “The Stag may be large, but he’s as gentle as I.”

The Stag skids into the station, peering at the two of them. “Avant!” he booms. “Wonderful to see you!”

“You too,” Avant smiles to the bug.

“Where are we headed, then?” the gruff voice asks as the two vessels hop into the seat attached to his shell.

“Greenpath, please,” Avant murmurs.

 _Greenpath?_ Noam wonders. _Green! There must be many colors there!_

The ride is considerably bumpy, but Avant wraps an arm around Noam to hold them steady the entire way. When they skid back into another Station, Avant slips off the Stag’s back, and holds their arms out to Noam. “Go ahead, hop off. I’ll catch you.”

Noam hesitates, but jumps anyways. Avant catches them sturdily, and sets them on the ground. 

“Thank you, old friend!” Avant waves goodbye to the Stag. Noam follows suit, waving as well.

The Stag grunts happily as they walk off. “Anytime! Stay safe!” He thunders back off into the tunnels. 

“So, that was the Stag Station,” Avant explains as they walk. “Very easy means of travel, albeit a bit bumpy.”

Noam nods knowingly. 

“As I said, I’m taking you to Greenpath. I figured you’d like a place with a color in the name, no?”

Noam nods again, excitedly.

Greenpath is very.. _.green!_ The leaves and grass dance in soft breezes, tiny flowers providing specks and bursts of color that Noam picks out avidly. Noam picks the different colors as they go. A tiny red bloom there, a bigger blue one here, a big, bright yellow one over there! Avant is patient with their task, watching happily as Noam’s bundle grows and grows with each color spotted.

They hear voices up ahead. Noam hides behind Avant, but the older vessel is quick to reassure them. “Fear not, little Noam. I know who those voices are. They’re friends.”

“Friends?”

“Indeed. Would you like to meet them?”

Noam hesitates, but nods determinedly. 

“Leafwing! Lorelyn!” Avant calls out. “Inbound!”

“We’re ready for ya!” Lorelyn calls back.

“Lovely to see you here, Avant,” Leafwing greets warmly. “It’s a rare, pleasurable sight” Her eyes widen when she spots Noam. “And who’s this?” Lorelyn leans over to peer as well.

Noam hides behind Avant’s long legs. “Noam,” Avant announces. “Most recent sibling to awaken.”

“Aw, what a darling,” Leafwing coos. She holds a palm out gingerly. “Hello, little one.”

Oh, Noam _loves_ the colors of these two. Leafwing’s colors are warm greens and yellows, and her wings are pretty and shiny. Lorelyn’s shell is a pretty shade of red, and the fluff around her collar is pure white.

Noam warily extends a hand and places it in Leafwing’s. Leafwing beams down to the, eyes narrowed in a great smile. 

“What do you have there?” Lorelyn pipes in. “Flowers?”

Noam nods, holding them up proudly. 

“Noam loves colors,” Avant explains. “I figured Greenpath would be a comforting place to introduce them to the world.”

“Of course!” Lorelyn chimes. “We can go back to our home and show all the colors of flowers there, if you’d like. You’re welcome to join us on our way back.”

Avant looks down to Noam. “I can confirm, they do have quite a variety of colorful blooms at their home. Leafwing used to work in the Queen’s Gardens, so she has a green thumb of her own.” Avant winks. “Shall we? Your choice.”

“You go?” Noam queries.

“Yes, I’ll come too,” Avant promises.

“Yes! See colors!” Noam pips happily.

“Very well,” Leafwing hums. “Lorelyn, do you have everything?”

“Yep!” Lorelyn trots over with arms filled with various plant cuttings. “To the home we go! Can’t wait to show you all the pretty flowers we’ve got there! Maybe we can even make a little crown out of them for you!”

Noam looks up to Avant. “Indeed. They’re quite talented with their flowers,” they nod. “How would you like your own little colorful crown to don?” 

Noam claps excitedly. “Yes! Noam want!”


End file.
